This
walk takes in both sides of the River Medway to the
east of Tonbridge
(pronounced Tunbridge: see Walk Notes), a low-lying area of meadows,
farm fields, orchards and hop gardens. The scenery is pleasant rather than
dramatic and features two highly unusual features: a unique church and a
striking folly.

There
is nothing remarkable about the exterior of All Saints, Tudeley:
an old guidebook described it as “obscure and unfrequented”. Nowadays the
reverse is true, because its twelve stained glass windows were all designed by
the great 20thC Russian artist, Marc Chagall.
Initially commissioned by Sir Henry and Lady d'Avigdor-Goldsmid to create a
single memorial window after the death of their daughter Sarah in 1963, Chagall
was inspired to create windows for the entire church (as he had previously done
for a synagogue in Jerusalem and a chapel in France). The final group of
windows were dedicated in 1985, a few months after his death at the age of 98.

Tudeley's
sister church is also on the walk route. For understandable reasons St Thomas à
Becket tends to be overlooked but it has a series of 13thC
wall paintings. The church is no longer used for regular services but is
normally open 10.00-16.00.

Throughout
the walk there are occasional glimpses of its other main feature, rising high
above the landscape. There can be few stranger sights on a Home Counties walk
than this multi-tiered Gothic folly, taller than Nelson's Column.Hadlow Tower was built in
1838 by William Barton May as an embellishment to his equally eccentric
father's extravagant house in Strawberry Hill Gothic style (“the most singular
looking thing I ever saw” according to William Cobbett). Much of Hadlow
Castle was demolished in 1951 but fortunately the Tower was saved; after a
local campaign it has now been beautifully restored.

The
walk passes Hadlow's other attraction, Broadview Gardens
(free entry). This is a collection of small landscaped gardens designed by
successive generations of horticultural students at Hadlow College.

Walk Options: You can bypass the recommended
lunch stop, the Dovecote Inn, by taking a shortcut which saves 2¼ km, or
you can finish the walk in Hadlow and take a bus to Tonbridge (frequent service).

Lunch:The Dovecote Inn in Capel (8.7 km/5.4 mi, food to 14.00). Plus
other options, see the webpage or the pdf for details.

n=7 An enjoyable w=sunny little outing, with a pleasant pub where we met a granddad & grandchild on a day out. Two lingered over lunch. After tea in the garden centre cafe (lovely setting if you are outside), 2 went off to walk to Tonbridge, 3 went round the gardens & then got the bus.